Waking Moments
by kira66
Summary: Jordan wakes up from a three month coma having no idea where she is or how she got there. Doctor Malcolm is there to help her in anyway she knows how.


The first thing that greeted Jordan, when she opened her eyes, was the sight of a stark white ceiling. Soon after that her nose was invaded by the strong aroma of disinfectant. With a grunt she tried to push herself up, into a sitting position, but the pain in her head forced her to lay still. With a sigh she tried to remember where she was and how she got there. After a few seconds of intense thought and the beginnings of a headache, she gave up. So instead she settled for observing her surroundings. Glancing from side to side she noticed a window with a closed blind, a tv hanging from the ceiling and a table over the end of her bed. Frowning, she put two and two together. "I'm in the hospital." She mumbled to herself as she felt for the call button, she knew had to be somewhere at her side. Feeling it, she pressed it, firmly, and waited for a nurse to appear.

Nurse Jacobs eyed the blinking light on the desk with interest. That room had been quiet for many weeks so the light was out of place. Glancing at it once again, she picked up the phone and dialed the attending doctors office. Clearing her throat, she shifted the receiver to the other ear. "Yes, can you tell Doctor Malcolm that his patient in room three-sixteen is awake, thank you." She hung up the phone and stood, moving towards the before mentioned room. Stopping before she entered, she placed a smile, one that came from over twenty years of nursing, on her face. "Ah, I see you've finally decided to join us." She kept her voice light as she entered.

Jordan blinked as a woman appeared. "Join you?" She asked, carefully. Her head was one big mess of jumbled thoughts and the headache was beginning to annoy her. "Where am I?" She finally asked.

Nurse Cynthia Jacobs had been a nurse for going on twenty-three years. Twenty of those years were spent in that very hospital. And during those years she saw many different injuries and illnesses, she also learned how best to deal with certain cases. "I'm sure you're thirsty, let me pour you some water." She moved to the hospital tray and poured out a glass of water from the ice cold pitcher. She held it up for the patient, Jordan, to take a sip from the straw.

Eyeing the offered glass, Jordan took a sip, not realizing until now that she was parched and very hungry. Swallowing, she closed her eyes, trying to fend off the headache that was grating at her nerves.

"Are you in much pain?" Nurse Jacobs asked after she sat the glass down and pulled the chart off the end of the bed. "Mmhm." She mumbled as she scribbled a note on the correct page then looked back to Jordan.

Jordan sighed, opening her eyes. "When I tried to sit up, I got a sharp pain in my head which faded into a very nasty headache. But besides that...I feel fine."

Another "Mmhm." Escaped from Nurse Jacobs lips as she jotted something else down. "That is understandable with an injury such as yours." She placed the chart back into the slot. "I'll get you some pain medicine for the headache and the Doctor should be in to explain everything." She gave Jordan a small smile before disappearing out the door and reappearing about two minutes later with a small paper cup. "Here you are. Two of these should fix you right up, so to speak."

"Thank you." Jordan took the paper cup and dumped the contents into her mouth then took a sip from the glass that was once again held to her mouth. Once the pills were down, she settled back in the bed. "Can you tell me if Doctor Tess has been in to see me?" Since this was a hospital she was assuming that it was Massachusetts General Hospital and her Primary Care Physician was Doctor Daniel Tess or Doctor T, as she liked to call him.

"Doctor Tess? Can't say that I've heard of him before, dear. Right now you're being seen by Doctor Malcolm. She's been your attending Doctor since your neurosurgeon released you from his care about five weeks ago." Nurse Jacobs explained, quietly.

"Wha...Neurosurgeon? Five weeks ago?" Jordan was feeling overwhelmed. "But that would mean..." She reached up to touch her head only to encounter a thick layer of bandages. Swallowing hard, she left her hand drop back to the stiff sheets covering her. "How long have I been here?" She whispered.

"About three months." A new voice, definitely female, answered from the door way. A woman in her late thirties, maybe early forties, strolled into the room. A genuine smile had formed on her lips when she caught sight of Jordan. "I think I can take it from here, Nurse Jacobs. Thank you." She dismissed the nurse and turned back to her patient. "It's good to see you awake. I'm glad I didn't agree with my colleagues when they told me you wouldn't ever wake up. Not that I agree with them very often anyways." She winked at her, her blue eyes twinkling merrily. "Now, I'm sure you have a million questions for me so let me get comfortable..." She pulled over one of the visitors chairs and sat down, crossing her feet at the ankles under her hospital bed. "Ah, that's better." She gave her a pointed look that clearly said you may begin.

Jordan watched the Nurse retreat from the room then turned her attention to her Doctor. "I take it that you're Doctor Malcolm?" She asked, warily. Closing her eyes, she settled back against the pillows. "Alright, where am I?"

"Aw, that's an easy one. You're in Allegheny General Hospital or AGH for short." Doctor Malcolm answered. "And yes, I am Doctor Malcolm. Doctor Lexington Kennedy Malcolm if you want to get all technical. But you can just call me Lex." She gave her another smile.

She tried to raise an eyebrow at her upbeat attitude but winced when pain shot through her face. "So I'm in...AGH?" Jordan frowned, trying to place the city in which said hospital was located in.

"Yup. You've been here for almost three months. Though, I'm sure you don't remember any of it." Lex motioned towards the window. "You can see the Allegheny River from here. Once your up to it, we'll put you in a chair and you can look out. Might make the healing go faster. And it'll pass the time now that you're awake."

Swallowing, Jordan looked towards the window then back to the Doctor. "Why am I here?" She asked, quietly. She was so confused.

"You were in a car accident. When you were brought in, or so I've been told, they didn't expect you to make it. You had severe head trauma and swelling on the brain. They had to induce a coma to keep you alive. But once the swelling went down and the bleeding stopped...they still didn't have much hope. You were in critical condition for the first two weeks and it was literally touch and go. They almost lost you three out of five times that they preformed surgery. The last one they were ready to call it when they got a pulse. That's why I wouldn't give up hope of you waking up. You're a fighter and fighters don't ever give up." Lex gave her a small smile. "Now, I need to ask you a couple questions to appease Doctor Wilberger, he was your Neurosurgeon. Can you tell me your name?"

She just wanted to curl up on the bed and cry after what she told her. Sniffling, Jordan nodded. "Jordan Cavanaugh." She mumbled.

"Very good." At seeing her questioning look, Lex shrugged. "We have your purse which contained your drivers licence and several other cards . Now, can you tell me where you work and live?" She produced a small leather bound notepad from her coat pocket and was recording her questions and her patients answers.

"I'm..." Jordan was drawing a blank. "Um...I live in Boston." She couldn't remember the exact address and she hoped that it would all come back to her. "And I work...in the morgue." She stopped and made a face. "Why would I work there?" She questioned.

"You can't remember?" Doctor Malcolm continued to write.

Jordan shook her head, slightly, and regret the motion almost immediately.

Lex gave her an encouraging smile. "I'm sure it'll come back to in time. Now can you tell me who the President is?"

"Bush and I didn't vote for him." Jordan was feeling a little better and her thoughts weren't as jumbled. She still had blank spaces but hopefully, like the Doctor said, they'd come back to her in time.

"Neither did I. Alrighty then. I think that will make Doctor Wilberger happy. You're his miracle case." Lex added with a wink as she shut her little notepad and shoved it back into her pocket. "Now, I want you to rest. Your body needs natural sleep now." She stood, pushed the chair back and smiled. "I'll be back in to see you tomorrow morning." She turned and left.

Jordan watched her go with drooping eyelids. Sleep wasn't such a bad idea.


End file.
